Recently I decided to purchase a Quali-TV 1080i. I have heard that this receiver does 4:2:0 and 4:2:2 in both SD & HD. With more feeds going 4:2:2 I knew I’d have to upgrade the existing setup. I didn’t want a PC card for a couple reasons.
-the computer is in a different room than the TV setup
-my computer is around 6 years old
-I do a lot of sports recording and wanted to use the hard drive/DVD recorder I have
So I decided to take a chance on the Quali-TV (referred to as The Q from now on) and boy am I happy I did. The Q is a receiver from the Netherlands that can run on 120 or 240v. When it arrived, it was the receiver, manual, and remote. Also included was the adapter to convert the plug from the European plug to the North American one. On the back is satellite in, loop out, a DVI output to go to a HDTV, SPDIF output, Component connectors and the normal A/V connectors. No rf cable (there are scart connectors) but with a box that you’ll be mainly using for HD & 4:2:2, why would you use a coax output??
Plugged it in and hooked up the cable that I had set up for it. This was going to give me SBS6/H2 (for feeds), G10 (for RetroJams), C-Band and a feed from the motorized. Turned the receiver on and was greeted with a simple menu. Selected Installation and away we go. There are 2 ways to set up the Q, either Diseqc 1.0 or Diseqc 1.2. Sine I am using a 4x1 switch, we’ll set up for Diseqc 1.0. From other users of the Q, you usually want to slave this to your existing setup and not set it up for Diseqc 1.2 and I’ll explain as I go along. The first thing I noticed is there is only 4 satellite spots for Diseqc 1.0...so no 8 LNB setups on this. The cool thing is everything is right there. No need to fish through the menus to find it. Since we are slaving it, I left the sats as Satellite 1,2,3,4. I probably will change 3 & 4 to SBS6 & G10 later. For fun, I did hook it up and tried it on Diseqc 1.2 and the motor did work flawlessly but you can’t have Diseqc 1.2 & a diseqc switch involved. It will work with a 22k switch so you could do KU & DBS (like the Invacom Quad) with a motorized. Also not all of the satellites we use here in the US are listed (remember, this is a European receiver so that really wouldn't work). So we’ll stick to the fixed dish system.
Everything has to be manually put into the Q. No blind scan (one reason to slave it). Entry really isn’t that bad. Set your power, LNB LO and 22k (under the LNB LO you do have an option for “Universal”). Entering transponders really isn’t that hard. You move to the transponder info and hit “OK” and it drops you to the entry box. Hit the blue button and enter the TP info. Once its entered hit OK and it will show you the signal meter and “locked” if its locked on. One thing on transponder entry is you have to be really close to the info or it won’t work. Some receivers can be 5 or 6 off on the frequency and up to 10 on the symbol rate and still log the channel. The Q you have to be close. Luckily the Coolsat 5000 is really close on blind scan. So I entered in the stuff for SBS6, G10, G16 C-Band and I set up AMC1 KU for the NBC feeds that are 4:2:2. After entering you can scan by transponder, satellite, NIT (Network scan), or all sats (which would be all 4). I did a satellite scan.
The channels scan and log in rather easily. If there is no name on the channel, it logs the channel as a blank name. One thing to note is you cannot edit satellite names or channel names. So what scans in is what you get. But since its mainly used for feeds, I didn’t care
Now lets see if it truly lives up to the hype. Tuned in G10 and the picture was very clean on the Equity channels. Tuned to Retro Jams and it outputs AC-3 as is through the speakers. So far so good. Changing satellites is pretty easy. Press the red button and it brings up the satellite list. Press it to go to the next satellite. Unfortunately there is no “all sat” option. Another quirk of the Q. Scanned in AMC1 to see how it plays the 4:2:2 NBC feeds. For the first time ever, I can view them. Nice and clean. I did scan in a couple feeds and it played them flawlessly. Scanned in AMC3 PBS HD and it plays that with awesome clarity. I have only run into a 4:2:2 HD feed but did scan that in. There is a green line on the bottom that is about 3/4" high. Not really a big deal as I used the “zoom” feature on my HDTV. Also since there are very few 4:2:2 HD feeds, its not a big deal but a quirk.
Channel deleting is a snap. Select Fav & Lock and enter password (1234). Select the channels with the green button to delete. Red button to make favorites and yellow to move them (I did move some of the G4/G16 stuff around).
The Q even has picture in picture which is kinda neat. But there are some limitations
-you cant swap pics
-you are limited to the same transponder. So while this works for a TP like G10 or G25, you can't have 2 feeds going at same time
Some of the features of the Q are
-simple menus
-easy setup
-Diseqc 1.0 or 1.2
-can decode 4:2:0 SD, 4:2:0 HD, 4:2:2 SD & 4:2:2 HD
-AC-3 automatic through the receiver
-channels stay logged in even if you delete the transponder
Some of the quirks of the Q. I’m not calling them negatives because this is an older box
-no way to edit satellites or channels
-no manual PID entry
-have to manually enter transponder info
-no way to expand beyond 4 LNB’s
If you do decide to set it up for Diseqc 1.2, not all the satellites from North America are listed. Remember this is a European receiver. This is one of the reasons why I suggest slaving the receiver. Also the reason we used Satellite 1,2,3,4 in the menu setup is my C-Band and KU Band are always being moved. So there is no reason to have a specific satellite listed. If you just use 2 satellites ( C& KU ) just use satellite 1 & 2
All and all I am very happy with the receiver despite it minor quirks. The fact that I can view 4:2:2 feeds now along with HD makes this a great box. No more will I grumble when I find a feed only to see the infamous green tearing screen on the Coolsat
pics below..the 10th & 16th pics are 4:2:2...10th is the WB syndication feeds and the 16th is NBC from AMC1
-the computer is in a different room than the TV setup
-my computer is around 6 years old
-I do a lot of sports recording and wanted to use the hard drive/DVD recorder I have
So I decided to take a chance on the Quali-TV (referred to as The Q from now on) and boy am I happy I did. The Q is a receiver from the Netherlands that can run on 120 or 240v. When it arrived, it was the receiver, manual, and remote. Also included was the adapter to convert the plug from the European plug to the North American one. On the back is satellite in, loop out, a DVI output to go to a HDTV, SPDIF output, Component connectors and the normal A/V connectors. No rf cable (there are scart connectors) but with a box that you’ll be mainly using for HD & 4:2:2, why would you use a coax output??
Plugged it in and hooked up the cable that I had set up for it. This was going to give me SBS6/H2 (for feeds), G10 (for RetroJams), C-Band and a feed from the motorized. Turned the receiver on and was greeted with a simple menu. Selected Installation and away we go. There are 2 ways to set up the Q, either Diseqc 1.0 or Diseqc 1.2. Sine I am using a 4x1 switch, we’ll set up for Diseqc 1.0. From other users of the Q, you usually want to slave this to your existing setup and not set it up for Diseqc 1.2 and I’ll explain as I go along. The first thing I noticed is there is only 4 satellite spots for Diseqc 1.0...so no 8 LNB setups on this. The cool thing is everything is right there. No need to fish through the menus to find it. Since we are slaving it, I left the sats as Satellite 1,2,3,4. I probably will change 3 & 4 to SBS6 & G10 later. For fun, I did hook it up and tried it on Diseqc 1.2 and the motor did work flawlessly but you can’t have Diseqc 1.2 & a diseqc switch involved. It will work with a 22k switch so you could do KU & DBS (like the Invacom Quad) with a motorized. Also not all of the satellites we use here in the US are listed (remember, this is a European receiver so that really wouldn't work). So we’ll stick to the fixed dish system.
Everything has to be manually put into the Q. No blind scan (one reason to slave it). Entry really isn’t that bad. Set your power, LNB LO and 22k (under the LNB LO you do have an option for “Universal”). Entering transponders really isn’t that hard. You move to the transponder info and hit “OK” and it drops you to the entry box. Hit the blue button and enter the TP info. Once its entered hit OK and it will show you the signal meter and “locked” if its locked on. One thing on transponder entry is you have to be really close to the info or it won’t work. Some receivers can be 5 or 6 off on the frequency and up to 10 on the symbol rate and still log the channel. The Q you have to be close. Luckily the Coolsat 5000 is really close on blind scan. So I entered in the stuff for SBS6, G10, G16 C-Band and I set up AMC1 KU for the NBC feeds that are 4:2:2. After entering you can scan by transponder, satellite, NIT (Network scan), or all sats (which would be all 4). I did a satellite scan.
The channels scan and log in rather easily. If there is no name on the channel, it logs the channel as a blank name. One thing to note is you cannot edit satellite names or channel names. So what scans in is what you get. But since its mainly used for feeds, I didn’t care
Now lets see if it truly lives up to the hype. Tuned in G10 and the picture was very clean on the Equity channels. Tuned to Retro Jams and it outputs AC-3 as is through the speakers. So far so good. Changing satellites is pretty easy. Press the red button and it brings up the satellite list. Press it to go to the next satellite. Unfortunately there is no “all sat” option. Another quirk of the Q. Scanned in AMC1 to see how it plays the 4:2:2 NBC feeds. For the first time ever, I can view them. Nice and clean. I did scan in a couple feeds and it played them flawlessly. Scanned in AMC3 PBS HD and it plays that with awesome clarity. I have only run into a 4:2:2 HD feed but did scan that in. There is a green line on the bottom that is about 3/4" high. Not really a big deal as I used the “zoom” feature on my HDTV. Also since there are very few 4:2:2 HD feeds, its not a big deal but a quirk.
Channel deleting is a snap. Select Fav & Lock and enter password (1234). Select the channels with the green button to delete. Red button to make favorites and yellow to move them (I did move some of the G4/G16 stuff around).
The Q even has picture in picture which is kinda neat. But there are some limitations
-you cant swap pics
-you are limited to the same transponder. So while this works for a TP like G10 or G25, you can't have 2 feeds going at same time
Some of the features of the Q are
-simple menus
-easy setup
-Diseqc 1.0 or 1.2
-can decode 4:2:0 SD, 4:2:0 HD, 4:2:2 SD & 4:2:2 HD
-AC-3 automatic through the receiver
-channels stay logged in even if you delete the transponder
Some of the quirks of the Q. I’m not calling them negatives because this is an older box
-no way to edit satellites or channels
-no manual PID entry
-have to manually enter transponder info
-no way to expand beyond 4 LNB’s
If you do decide to set it up for Diseqc 1.2, not all the satellites from North America are listed. Remember this is a European receiver. This is one of the reasons why I suggest slaving the receiver. Also the reason we used Satellite 1,2,3,4 in the menu setup is my C-Band and KU Band are always being moved. So there is no reason to have a specific satellite listed. If you just use 2 satellites ( C& KU ) just use satellite 1 & 2
All and all I am very happy with the receiver despite it minor quirks. The fact that I can view 4:2:2 feeds now along with HD makes this a great box. No more will I grumble when I find a feed only to see the infamous green tearing screen on the Coolsat
pics below..the 10th & 16th pics are 4:2:2...10th is the WB syndication feeds and the 16th is NBC from AMC1
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